Under 18 star praises Club after return from injury

One of Wasps’ stars of the future has thanked the Club for looking after him off the pitch in more ways than one after recovering from a serious injury.

The Club’s Under 18s lock Anjo Ademuwagun suffered a setback to his development after picking up a nasty knee injury in April, tearing his meniscus which put him out of action for six months.

Ademuwagun soon found himself juggling his time between preparing his body for a comeback while studying for his A-level exams at Harrow School.

And while the ambition is to one day pull on the Black and Gold jersey in front of thousands of people at the Ricoh Arena, the 17-year-old already has his sights set on another career once his playing days are over.

“I’ve made no secret that my dream is to one day represent the Wasps first-team and then go on to become a doctor,” revealed Ademuwagun.

“The Club’s staff really take their time to get to know the young boys and, in my case, they are extremely supportive of my ambitions both on the pitch and away from it.

“It’s been difficult at times to balance my studies and my rugby career, especially during my recovery, but the coaches have been there for me from the start.

“If I ever have to miss sessions for exams they always give me the chance to catch up and will pull me to one side to see how I’m doing with my studies when I return.

“I was out for a long time after I tore my meniscus, but the coaches and physios stayed with me throughout my recovery, and made sure I was ready to make my comeback both physically and mentally.

“I’m extremely lucky to be a valued part of the team. A really negative experience with my injury has turned into a nice journey for me.”

Ademuwagun was spotted by Wasps scouts in 2014, and has recently been selected for an exclusive England training camp with 40 other academy players from across the country.

It’s the perfect turnaround for Ademuwagun who will be looking to get some further minutes under his belt this winter when Wasps Under 18s take on Leicester Tigers, Northampton Saints and Newcastle Falcons.

His father, Christopher, was equally impressed by the support that Wasps have provided throughout his son’s blossoming career.

He said: “Wasps have really walked the walk and exceeded my expectations in supporting Anjo away from the pitch.

“I know from personal experience how great the coaches and physios are with Anjo, and I think one of the physios Sophie Thompson deserves a special mention for helping him recover from his injury.”

Wasps Academy Manager Jonathan Pendlebury will be overseeing Ademuwagun’s development over the coming months.

“Anjo is an athletic player with good physical potential and he’s added more awareness to his game, which stands him in good stead for his career ahead,” Pendlebury said.

“It’s great to see Anjo back involved with the Academy squad – the standard is extremely high this year with so many players vying to get noticed.”

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